Gallery Space
If you haven’t been by the Old Courthouse galleries yet, we welcome you to swing by for a visit! Our gallery spaces rotate local talents year-round, (aside from Art Exposed and SMALL//Works show periods,) in a by-donation, publicly accessible gallery space for all! These galleries provide a consistent space through which our community members (artists and art-enjoyers alike) can connect with local artists and build both professional and emotional links within our vibrant creative community.
The Kamloops Arts Council’s Main, Hallway, Alcove and Vault Galleries are a non-curated, open exhibition space for community artists and arts groups. Located in the Old Courthouse Cultural Centre the Galleries host 2D and 3D exhibitions on a rotating basis; totaling over 25 shows a year!
We at the KAC recognize that for artists, finding exhibition space can be extremely challenging – especially for those just beginning their creative careers!
In answer to this dilemma, the KAC offers an open and equal opportunity for artists to gain exposure and build their CVs, while garnering real experience in a professional setting, building skills such as:
- Show Installation
- Gallery etiquette
- Listing, pricing, and optionally selling works
- Navigating rental contracts and industry-standard commission rates
- Advertising and networking
- The option to host an event opening; allowing artists to interface with audiences
We are proud to say that our Galleries host all levels of artists, from emerging/beginner to established professionals. For a low rental fee and commission on sales, the KAC is proud to showcase talented artists from all over our TNRL region. We feel passionately about removing barriers to entry to the professional art world, and appreciate our many community members whose continued support and donations make this possible!
The KAC is also dedicated to interweaving creative bodies and organizations within our community, and our galleries have hosted exhibitions from a vast number of arts and community groups, which have included:
- The Fibre Art Network,
- Kamloops Photo Arts Club,
- Indigenous Resurgence Project
- The Thompson Nicola Shuswap Chapter of the FCA (Federation of Canadian Artists)
- TRU VASA Society
- Day One Society
- and many more!
Interested in becoming involved and taking the first steps toward your very own professional gallery show? Explore our applications below, which are open once per year, or stop by the KAC Old Courthouse office today to connect with us personally!
(As of 2023, all galleries are subject to closure in July & August due to extreme heat & wildfire/air quality concerns.)
Stay up to date on all KAC developments via our social media (Instagram and Facebook,) our monthly newsletter, local media releases, and more!
Our Gallery Spaces:
Main Gallery
Main Gallery Floor Plan
Empty vs Filled Main Gallery Space
Hallway Gallery
Hallway Floor Plan
Alcove Gallery
Alcove Floor Plan
Vault Gallery
Vault Floor Plan
Frequently Asked Questions:
We consider ‘original’ to be a work that is created from your own idea. We do not sell works that are copies of other works (unless you created the original). We know that you may be inspired by another artist’s work, or you consider something to be an ‘homage’, but it has to be significantly different from the original work in order for us to consider it. If you are unsure, you can always ask us what our thoughts are on the work in question.
Are you interested in applying? Yay! We open our applications for exhibitions at the end of March every year, and we announce the opening on social media and our newsletter when it happens. Remember, you must fill out the entire application and pay the application fee by the deadline in order for your application to be considered.
Excellent question! We will inform you about the status of your application about six weeks after the deadline closes. This gives us time to go through the applications and figure out the schedule to the best of our abilities.
Unfortunately, we are not able to pay artists to have exhibitions at the Kamloops Arts Council. We know that some other places are able to, but as a community arts organization, we do not have the funds to do this.
We do provide some assistance if you have questions, but you are overall responsible for the layout and installation of your show. This is your opportunity to show your work, and it’s a great experience!
We love it when art sells! Payments to the artist are processed 2-4 weeks after the end of the exhibition. We understand how exciting it is when you have money coming, but we have to make sure that the sales are processed, the work has been picked up, and that there are no issues. We will contact you when your cheque is ready for pickup.
We love your enthusiasm, but unfortunately you cannot alter the space or do anything that requires maintenance after your exhibition. We rent the Old Courthouse and we are limited to what we can do with the space as a result. This means no holes in the walls or ceilings, no painting the walls, no stickers on the floors. We also have a tight turnaround between shows and do not have time to do maintenance between exhibitions.
We have a specific hanging system for our spaces and the wire is the best and safest way to hang your work! The wire creates room for the hooks we use, and d-rings are more secure for the wires. We have had works fall or get damaged in the past, and we want to prevent this as much as possible.